HallowIchigo
by Aalicia
Summary: Halloween brought more than just celebration to Karakura Town. A Bleach Halloween tale.
1. Prologue: Murderous Moon

**Disclaimer**: Bleach and all its characters are property of Kubo Tite, not mine.

_Author's Notes_: This is a contest entry to Bleach Asylum's Halloween Contest.

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**HallowIchigo**

**Prologue – Murderous Moon**

The full moon was hidden behind a veiled sea of clouds, bathing the woods in the outskirts of Karakura Town with an ominous shadow. But three darker shadows were crossing it faster than human eyes could follow, shaking the foliage on their way.

The three shinigamis halted at a glade, surrounded by the breeze swept pine trees.

"Did anyone see where it went?"

"… I don't sense it anymore."

"Damn! Kurotshuchi-taichou is going to be mad if we return empty handed…"

The sound of a weak weeping alerted them to a crouching figure leaning against a tree. They grabbed their swords' handles as they cautiously approached. It was the soul of a young man poorly dressed in rags, staring at them with scared eyes.

"Oh, it's just a normal soul." the shinigami stated as he walked towards him, unsheathing his sword. And he looked back at his companions "You guys search for its trail, while I perform the Soul Burial. We need to resume our pursuit."

The clouds unveiled the full moon like an observant beacon. The soul's lips parted and curved in a wicked smile, showing the growing fangs.

Crows flew, startled in the woods, crying their warnings that tonight had already begun cursed.


	2. Undercover Shinigami

**HallowIchigo**

**Chapter One – Undercover Shinigami**

Karakura High was giving a Halloween party, using the gym as a ball house, to receive the costumed students among all the cobwebs, giant spiders, jack-o-lanterns, candles and everything else the teachers decided to use as Halloween decorations.

At the top of an improvised stage at the farthest end of the gym, Ochi-sensei, dressed up as a feminine version of Frankenstein monster, was giving the honors of the party, vigorously holding the microphone.

"Welcome, little monsters of Karakura! We now officially begin our Halloween Ball! Please indulge yourselves among the numerous Halloween activities we'll host tonight, and don't forget that, at the end, we'll reveal the winner of our Costume Contest, who will be given the unique opportunity to make a guest appearance at the upcoming Don Kanonji TV show! BWAHAHAHAHA! So, behave yourselves, little freaks, but don't forget to have FUN!"

"Aw, Kurosaki-kun. You'll never have a chance to win, dressed up like that…" Inoue was tapping both her index fingers at one another, ahead of the giant sucking bottle hanging around her neck – a vital accessory of her baby costume.

"Is that even a costume, Kurosaki?..." pointed Ishida, putting his shades into place, which complemented his hand made Bono Vox costume, out of "The Fly" video clip.

"Yeah, it's 'Undercover Policeman'."

"I was wondering what it was." Rukia took back the hood of her witch cloak, to better expose her eyes to the scrutiny on Ichigo's apparel. "So, these 'Undercover Policemen' all wear worn jeans and t-shirt over a sweater? But aren't those clothes that people wear nearly every day?..."

"Exactly. Hence the '_undercover_'." and he tried to pull down Rukia's hood to completely cover her face, but got his hand slapped in the process.

Chad gave Ichigo the thumb up with yen symbols glowing on the one pupil his curls weren't hiding, feeling sorry he didn't have such a great money saving idea. After all, his Mexican Pistolero costume had cost him several meals worth of savings…

"That's just a lame excuse not to put on a costume, Kurosaki. You're such a baby, sometimes."

"It's an undercover officer's costume, as good as any other! I even brought my badge!" and he held the Shinigami Representative Badge almost to Ishida's face.

"_Hollow!... Hollow!"_ – the thing started beaming right on that moment, causing both to jump, as if their bodies had been struck with a bolt of electricity.

Ichigo recovered swiftly "See? Duty calls the undercover policeman, so now I'll go take the costume out, to show the uniform."

"I don't know which is the lamest, Kurosaki. Your 'costume' or your 'uniform'…"

"It's weird that my cell phone didn't ring, I wonder if it's broken again…" Rukia interrupted them, checking her Soul Society phone.

"It's probably just so low level a hollow, Soul Society didn't even pick up on it. HA! You're left out!"

"Shut up! This is unusual!"

"You can actually say that, dressed up to a witch hunt?..." and he pulled down her hood again, causing a popped vein of annoyance to be noticeable underneath it. "Anyways, I'm off to do some serious stuff now, catch you guys later!"

"Get yourself bitten by a werewolf and go drop dead somewhere, Kurosaki."

Rukia pulled her hood up just in time to see Ichigo head out from the gym. She was concerned, something didn't feel right with this…


	3. The Black Masked Hollow

**HallowIchigo**

**Chapter Two – The Black Masked Hollow**

Urahara was one with the shadows, roaming the woods at the outskirts of Karakura Town. Ever since earlier that evening, he had been sensing a strange reiatsu, something different from anything he could catalog in his centuries long experience as a shinigami, so he decided to let himself be driven by his scientific curiosity.

His steps were cautious and his countenance was alert, trying to pick up any disturbance in the environment that would give away the position of the presence he could so clearly feel, but so little discern in nature.

Upon arriving to a large glade, the blood tainted grass was the first detail that caught his attention, followed by the torn bodies of three shinigamis. He silently approached the closest one to inspect it. Inside the robes was shown the symbol of the 12th Division, the squad he once commanded. Their lacerations had been unmistakably inflicted by sword… What on Earth had happened in here?... The reiatsu left on the wounds felt like-

A sharp cry coming from the far left disrupted his thoughts. Quick and agile, like a hunting wild cat, he moved across the woods, around the bushes and trees, just in time to see the last moments of a macabre feast, as a soul met its end in between the claws and fangs of a strange creature.

It could easily be mistaken for a hollow – the animal build, with claws, spikes and tail, the black fur, the yellow eyes, the face that looked like a skeletal mask – but that's where the difference subsisted – the mask was black instead of white. It was fairly dark underneath the towering tree-tops that filtered the moonlight, but Urahara could clearly see the mask was black.

It must have sensed his presence, because it suddenly turned and its yellow eyes became yellow irises around black pupils at the sight of the sneaking shinigami. Whatever it was, it was probably connected to the killing of the three Squad 12 members that laid lifeless a few paces away, and it had been feasting on a soul, so Urahara decided to attack first, ask questions later.

"Nake _Benihime_!" His crane became the zanpakutõ it really is and released a ray of red energy at the creature's direction. As the smoke cleared, Urahara's eyes met with disbelief the fact the creature was standing at the exact same place, only slightly burned by the attack. It growled strangely, as if voicing an agony that hadn't been inflicted by the assault.

"Whatever you are, don't think that's the best I can throw at you." But as he raised his zanpakutõ to prepare his next blow, the creature was already gone from his sight and his senses. "… not wanting a fight, eh. I feel so rejected!" and there he stood, alone in the dark forest, with nothing but the bats to witness his confusion.


	4. A Crashed Halloween Party

**HallowIchigo**

**Chapter Three – A Crashed Halloween Party**

"Kuchiki-san…"

"Kuchiki-san!" Ishida was still holding the juice glass in front of Rukia, who failed to notice him, while lost in her thoughts.

"Oh, sorry, Ishida. Thank you." she took the glass, but didn't taste it.

"Don't worry about Kurosaki, that asshole can take care of himself far better than he gives away."

"He should be back by now."

"Knowing him, he might not even come back at all, he hates these things."

"No, he said he would return. I have a bad feeling about this. My cell phone should have detected the hollow too. It has been too long since he left, I'm going to go look for him."

"Let me get Chad and Inoue-san then. We'll all go see what that crazy shinigami got himself into together."

"Thank you, Ishida." Rukia tried to smile, before Ishida started to open his way through the crowd of costumed teenagers, but they were both startled by the sound of glasses shattering and the high pitched scream of Ochi-sensei.

All the attention turned towards the panicking teacher, who now seemed to have lost her voice and just covered her mouth with one hand, using the other to point up. As all the eyes followed her lead, more screams started to erupt among the students, when they saw a pitch black creature with some red stripes down its fur, shaking its tail and watching them, atop one of the gym's light supporting platforms.

"A black masked hollow?!" Rukia thought to herself, as the creature looked straight into her eyes. There was something strange about those eyes… they looked somewhat-

It made a deep roar, when struck by a blue arrow, but the wound rapidly closed. Rukia looked among the agitated teenagers to find Ishida already wielding his huge Quincy bow.

"High speed regeneration, have we? Well, my father taught me how to deal with that too." and he aimed a second arrow right into the creature's head.

"Ishida, wait!" but Ishida never had the time to shoot the arrow, nor Rukia had the time to stop him, as the creature disappeared from its settling atop the light platform, only to reappear behind Rukia and steal her away through the same window it had previously broken to get in.

By the time the glass she was holding hit the floor and splattered, Rukia was already out of sight.

"Kuchiki-san!"

"Ishida!"

"Ishida-kun! What was that?" both Chad and Inoue managed to reach him, among the frightened people.

"I don't know. It looked like a hollow with a black mask, but people aren't supposed to be able to see hollows. It took Kuchiki-san and it moves fast. We can't waste time."

Inoue and Chad nodded together and all three of them dashed out the gym into the moon lit night.


	5. Hidden Moon Reveals The Kidnapper

**HallowIchigo**

**Chapter Four – Hidden Moon Reveals The Kidnapper**

Rukia was helplessly being taken under the arm of the monster that kept leaping from pole to rooftop at an incredible speed, which not even shinigamis would be able to match easily.

She noticed that the grip wasn't painfully strong and decided to try to escape. Untying her cloak, she pushed herself to slip through and away from it into… a ten stories high fall down to a busy street!

She cursed herself in mid air for her gigai not allowing her the aerial prowess of a shinigami and opened her mouth to scream. But a "Huff!" came out instead, as she found herself wrapped by the black limb again, under a tighter grip, this time.

"Let me go! What the hell do you want from me, put me down!" and she started to bite the arm that held her, seeing as her words produced no effect.

The creature released her on top of a building and she proceeded to vent all her anger at the hollow _abnormality_ that dared abduct her, among hook punches, knee blows and kicks, all aimed and landed flawlessly at the black mask with yellow irises that just grunted in pain.

"Whatever the hell you are, you'll rue the day you chose to mess with me! You-" as she grabbed the thing's mane to land another fist at the nose, she stopped herself with wide shocked eyes. The creature had a pain reflected on its gaze that wasn't the result of her violence and the handful of hair she was holding was… _orange_. The bright unmistakable tone of orange she knew could only belong to one person "… Ichigo?... Is this… you?..."

He lowered his gaze and closed his eyes. He couldn't speak. He didn't want her to see him like this, but he didn't have a choice.

"I'm sorry…" she held his masked face in between her hands "What happened to you, Ichigo?... Are you alright?"

He growled. Seriously, did he look _alright_?... And it's not like the beating helped neither…

Talking about it wouldn't do any good, they needed help. Help from someone that would either know how to deal with it, or be in a better position to find out.

"Whatever it is, we're going to fix it. Don't look at me with those gloomy eyes! Come, let's go to Urahara's, he might have an idea about what happened to you."

As they were ready to part, Ichigo suddenly halted.

"What's wrong, Ichigo?"

He just motioned her to wait, as he stared at the moon being covered by a dark cloud. As the night became darker with the last bit of moonlight being hidden, Rukia's eyes witnessed the black masked hollow become the shinigami.

"Ichigo! You're back!" He started to lose his strength as Rukia reached for his body and she supported him so he could sit up straight against the rooftop's high edge. His torso had several injuries, some of them quite serious. "You're hurt!"

"Rukia! I need to tell you…" his voice was low, his mere breathing felt painful.

"Don't talk now, I need to heal you." She knelt right beside him.

"No! I only regain my form while the moon is covered! I need to tell you what happened!"

She first used her kidou on the hole left by Ishida's arrow, as Ichigo proceeded his telling of the events that transpired ever since he left the party.

"I followed the hollow reiatsu to the woods. It felt different from hollow, but you know reiatsu sensing isn't my strongest. There were three of them that attacked me when I arrived. They were hollows with black masks and didn't disappear when killed." His face contorted as he replayed that event inside his head. "Then something… someone… bit me. It made me turn into this _thing_ and… my inner hollow… took over and… ate… _I ate_… the soul who bit me…" Ichigo's face was a mirror of disgust and guilt. Rukia was watching him with concern. "I came back in control when Urahara-san found me. He attacked me, I had to run away… I didn't know what to do. I'm afraid my inner hollow can take over whenever he pleases, when I'm changed… I knew that trying to get you to recognize me could put you in danger, but my inner hollow could crave for you guys anyway, no matter how far I would run… I just… I just don't know what to do anymore… I'm sorry…" he shook his head, facing the ground.

"It's alright, Ichigo. You did the right thing. We'll get you out of this."

"You don't understand. While I'm shape shifted… I _feel_ like a hollow. I feel the craving for blood, the craving for souls… Rukia… I think I'm… I'm finally losing it…"

"Fool!" she lifted his chin to look him right in the eye "... As if I'd ever let you!" her gaze didn't show a shade of waver.

They stared deep into each other, renewing the vows of trust they've had ever since they met, as the night started to become more alight.

"Rukia!" She tightened the grip on his shoulders, as if it could keep the moon's grip from grabbing him, but watched helplessly as his body became a dark fur with red stripes, his hands became claws, his face a skeletal mask. He raised his yellow irises to meet her violet gaze with despair. But her expression was confident, not disgusted.

"It's alright, Ichigo! We'll find the way to get you back to normal, no matter what it takes!"

"Step away from Kuchiki-san!" On that moment, they were joined at the rooftop by Ishida, Chad and Inoue, who were already taking battle stances, when Rukia stepped defensively in front of the now unrecognizable Ichigo.

"Don't attack him! I can explain all this."


	6. Two Fronts To Attack The Curse

**HallowIchigo**

**Chapter Five – Two Fronts To Attack The Curse**

Back in Urahara Shop, Rukia, Chad, Ishida and Inoue were sitting around the table with Urahara, some looking apprehensively to the place Ichigo used to sit among them.

"Is it really necessary to keep him in the basement, Urahara?"

"Not that I'm sure Tessai can actually hold him with a barrier spell, should he wish to break it, but it's for his own protection. He said it himself he doesn't know how easily his inner hollow can take over, when he's transformed, and having already eaten a soul is enough weight on his conscience…"

"Do you have any idea what it is, Urahara-san?"

"… I'm not sure… But the whole connection with the biting and the moon suggests… a werewolf."

All frowned deeper with skepticism, but Rukia was the one to speak.

"A werewolf?... Aren't they a myth?"

"Well, Kuchiki-san, the world thinks the same about shinigamis, and yet again, here we are. A werewolf is a human that had their most beastly features come out and materialize. Shinigamis, however, are spirits. It only makes sense that their beastly selves are actually hollows. Or a material version of hollows. It's still just a guess, I've heard about werewolves, but never encountered one myself."

"So, if Kurosaki is now a werewolf… how do we get him back to normal?"

"… I don't know if we even can." All of them saddened their features deeper with apprehension. "But I have an idea about who might know more about it. The three black masked hollows Kurosaki-san killed in the woods were actually shinigamis that had been turned as well. 12th Division shinigamis."

"Kurotshuchi-taichou!"

"Yes… It's too much of a coincidence for his squad to be involved in this, if he had no knowledge about the species in question. But there's also the particularity of Kurosaki-san already having an inner hollow, by the time of his werewolf infection, which might change things drastically, on his case." Rukia was already standing up, and Urahara did the same. "Yes, Kuchiki-san, you go back to Soul Society and try to dig as much as you can out of the 12th Division."

"Yes, but what about you, Urahara?"

"I'm going to meet some common friends to try to find out what's myth and what's real, in this whole werewolf business, and how Kurosaki-san's already existent inner hollow can come into play, for better or for worse. Though, oddly the enough, for now, it seems it's for the better…"

"Urahara-san?..."

He quickly glanced at Ishida, before proceeding "You see, Kurosaki-san said he was attacked by the black masked hollows, but, apart from having eaten a soul, during which he clearly stated his inner hollow had taken over, he's in control of himself, even while shape shifted… I wonder if that's even likely to happen with werewolves… or if it's something only related to Kurosaki-san in particular… Either way, let's make haste, there's no time to lose."

Rukia, already on her shinigami form, jumped down to Urahara's training grounds basement, to check on Ichigo one last time, before parting. Tessai was sitting a few paces away from him, concentrated on his barrier spell, which made eight light pillars with circling chains confine a small space for Ichigo to move.

He stood up when he saw her coming, but his yellow irises still had trouble facing anyone seeing him like this. Rukia also felt discomfort seeing him behind chains.

"Ichigo. I'm going to Soul Society now. There is a good chance they know what happened to you and how to reverse it. Urahara is also going to seek information with his own sources. We'll get you back to normal soon, Ichigo. Wait here for me. Just wait a little bit. We'll definitely find the way to put everything alright again."

And Rukia stood, outside Ichigo's prison, like an extra pillar of light, made not of shackling energy, but of glowing hope.


	7. Soul Society, Friend Or Foe?

**HallowIchigo**

**Chapter Six – Soul Society, Friend Or Foe?**

"Ukitake-taichou! Please help me!"

Ukitake was listening to Rukia's report of the strange events in the real world, with his eyebrows knit together in concern. After a few moments of contemplation, he comforted Rukia's urgent plea with a slight smile.

"Kotsubaki. Send word to Kyouraku of what happened to Kurosaki-san and ask him to please search the library archives on anything related to werewolves or hollows with black masks."

"Right away, Ukitake-taichou!" but a hand pressed against his face.

"No way, Sentarou!" and she bowed to her Captain "I, Koketsu Kiyone, can find Shunsui-taichou much faster!"

"Stop messing about with my tasks!"

"Stop showing up before me!"

"Both of you go, but go now, please." and he turned from the hurried 3rd Seats to face Rukia again "Don't worry, Kuchiki-san, we'll find out how to help Kurosaki-san. While Kyouraku can search the books, we'll go see Mayuri."

"Thank you, taichou!" Rukia allowed herself to curve her lips slightly as well.

As they arrived at the 12th Division headquarters and asked to see the information concerning werewolves, the masked captain was nonchalant through his ever present artificial smile.

"I refuse!"

"Seriously, Mayuri, you can't be as stubborn as to not cooperate and share information with the other squads!"

"The Research and Development Department is under my sole and entire command, hence I have no need to submit its data to any other squad, unless I so please. And I don't. Follow the protocol."

"But an official data request will take days! We need a look at it now."

"Then, instead of wasting your time here, go pull Yamamoto's leg about it. If the General-Commander gives me the order, I'll give you the data."

Ukitake and Rukia looked at each other. There was no way Yamamoto would take the action of forcing Mayuri to comply, if not briefed about what happened to Ichigo… And, knowing Ichigo's current condition, he would faster send for Ichigo's capture, than for the 12th Division data. No, persuading Mayuri was all they had.

"Certainly, you don't wish us to go bother Yamamoto with such small matters, if you can easily…" but Mayuri wasn't listening anymore. Inside his mind, he started solving the equation of why the Kuchiki girl had such an urgent expression. Of why they didn't want Yamamoto to know they needed information about werewolves. This was more than just the result of having seen one in the real world… It could only mean one of the girl's ryoka friends must have got infected… But who?... Werewolf reiatsu was a very subtle variation, almost a middle point in between human and hollow reiatsu – for some reason he had taken so long to find a specimen. How would those ryoka bump into one so easily, when they tend to be so elusive?... Wait… The badge! The Shinigami Representative Badge, possessed by that insufferable flare head shinigami anomaly, might have picked up the reiatsu and mistake it with hollow! Which means, what's troubling the Kuchiki brat so much… oh oh oh! He got himself bitten! Oh, what a wonderful specimen to study! "… Mayuri. Mayuri?... Are you even listening?"

"Yes! Ukitake, your arguments are _overwhelming_! I wonder why they never put you as a member of Central 46, back when it was operational. I am _convinced_ and shall stall you no longer! Here are the werewolf files." and he pressed a few keys in the huge computer. "Enjoy!"

"Why… thank you… Mayuri…"

"Thank you, Kurotshuchi-taichou! You're not so sinister after all!"

"Eh, Kuchiki-san…"

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?..."

As Ukitake and Rukia started to browse the multiple computer screens showing detailed reports about several identified werewolf specimens, Mayuri called for his lieutenant in private.

"Nemu. Send word to the General-Commander. Inform him the Research and Development Department has come across strong evidence that Kurosaki Ichigo has been turned into a werewolf. He feeds on souls, becomes a very powerful variation of hollow when the moon is out, is very dangerous and is at large in the real world. Hurry! Hurry, useless hag! And bring me my latest werewolf tracker on your way back!"

"Yes, Mayuri-sama!"

"With a little luck, he might even end up biting the Quincy cub, eheheh… Oh, happy day…" He stood watching both shinigamis working on his computer from behind their backs, his face like a wicked Joker out from a deck of cards, the embodiment of ill-omen.


	8. Wanted! Kurosaki Ichigo!

**HallowIchigo**

**Chapter Seven – Wanted! Kurosaki Ichigo!**

"Send 6th Division Captain Kuchiki Byakuya, 10th Division Captain Hitsugaya Toushirou and 12th Division Captain Kurotshuchi Mayuri to the real world!" Yamamoto spat out with authority. "Kurosaki Ichigo _must be stopped_!"

Back inside Urahara's training grounds basement, Ichigo was patiently waiting for Rukia and Urahara to come back, hopefully with a way to return him to normal. Being what he was now, that he assumed was a different kind of hollow, he had much keener senses. He could clearly sense all the souls around him with the tiniest bit of reiatsu. Probably because now souls were food to him, he thought with discomfort, frowning his masked face in revolt.

But something new was caught by his senses. Three extremely powerful beacons of reiatsu. Captains, no doubt, Soul Society had come for him, after all. He thought about Chad, Ishida and Inoue upstairs, at the store. Surely they would try to stop them from harming him. He had no intention of letting himself be killed, not as long as he had hope of returning to his normal self. Rukia promised him she'd find a way… But one thing he knew for sure – he had to get away from everyone, to protect them from the captains. If they were planning to kill him, or take him by force, he had to take the fight the farthest away from there as he could.

A loud growl was all the warning Tessai had, before his prison spell fell into shinny pieces of broken pillars and chains, as the black creature, that once seemed like it was being confined by them, clearly shown it took far more than that to be stopped.

By the time he climbed to the store, the three teenagers were also gathering in surprise.

"What happened, Tessai-san?"

"He just broke the prison and left!" They all looked at each other, confused.

"Ishida, do you think his inner hollow took over to feed on souls?"

He pondered Chad's question for a moment.

"No… If that were the case, the tastiest and closest victims would be the ones present here."

"Why did Kurosaki-kun run away from us, then?"

Ishida used his own sharp reiatsu searching senses, before answering Inoue.

"I don't think… _we_ are exactly the ones he's running away from, Inoue-san…" They all intensified their expressions with the weight those words carried.

Indeed Ichigo now just worked on putting as much distance as he could in between him and his pursuers. As he jumped from high rooftop to the next, he noticed the night getting darker. He turned his face to the moon, as it went engulfed in gloomy mist. His black pupils widened "NO!"

He landed a rolling wreck in rags, as the return of his shinigami form also returned his old wounds, plus the fresh ones of shredding Tessai's prison. He panted painfully, lying on the cold concrete.

The three Gotei 13 captains appeared before him, shortly after. Among them, only one was showing a wide smile, that wasn't just the feature of his mask.

"Why, what a terrible condition! This will be far easier than I thought…"

"Mayuri… Byakuya… Toushirou…" Ichigo was trying to rise from the ground, with no avail.

Hitsugaya didn't even gather the will to correct it into Hitsugaya-taichou. Tonight, he hated his job.

"Kurosaki Ichigo. Is it really true you've fallen into becoming a werewolf?" Byakuya also had no pleasure on what his duties ask of him, this day.

Is that what he is now? – Ichigo thought to himself. He didn't know the answer, he didn't know what was to become of him. All he knew was that, except for the time he ate that soul, he was still Kurosaki Ichigo, even underneath a hollow body. But he didn't know what to reply. He felt like a trapped wounded animal, under the killing hungry eyes of poachers. Mayuri's cold and sinister stare was an invitation to panic. But Ichigo's face glimmered with hope as he saw Mayuri's maddening features become illuminated with moonlight.

The captains witnessed in alarm the drastic transformation, seeing for the first time the creature the moon now turned him into. And Ichigo lost no time trapped under their scrutiny, but the moment he took to smirk in resentment, before resuming the escape.

"… Hitsugaya, if there's any truth on your fabled ruling over the weather, now would be the perfect time to show it."

The young captain closed his huge green eyes, before unsheathing his zanpakutõ "I'm sorry… Kurosaki…" and he called strongly to his sword "Soar in the frozen heavens! _Hyourinmaru_!"

The ice dragon covered the sky in mist, grabbing the moonlight like a hungry claw and crushing the only chance Ichigo had of escape.


	9. Protector And Protégé

**HallowIchigo**

**Chapter Eight – Protector And Protégé**

He had made it as far as a nearby sports field. He unsheathed Zangetsu in between aching pants. He couldn't run anymore.

"Now, now, why the battle stance?... On your current state, you can't even fight one captain, let alone three… Be a good boy and come quietly…" Mayuri was walking towards him with his arm extended and his fingers inviting him to come his way – an image so sinister it would imprint to anyone the exact opposite from _inviting_.

"What the hell do you want from me?!"

"To give you a privileged place in history, as all the valuable knowledge about the werewolf race will unfold in between my hands, while I dissect your soul in all matter of elaborate scientific procedures the current technology can allow!"

Ichigo pointed Zangetsu right in front of the mad scientist's face with a firm hold, as he roared "I rather DIE!"

Mayuri opened his arms to the air above and bent his neck so much to the side, his artificial ear met his shoulder. "I never said you wouldn't."

"Back off!"

"The youth these days… so troublesome… you're lucky I don't want to ruin you more, it will be hard to run most processes without killing you, as it is. But it seems to me you're not pondering your choices – or should I say lack thereof – properly… You're a werewolf now! A hollow variation of it, no less! Starting tonight, your food is human souls! What you won't kill with your bite, you'll turn it into something similar to yourself! Have no illusions, boy! There is no coming back from what you are! … So… do you wish to come with me now… or wait until your hollow self starts killing some of your friends first?"

No coming back… no coming back… Inside his mind, he could still replay the moment his hollow took over… the taste of a soul… the taste that, even though he managed to sustain easily, he could always feel his body craving for, when transformed…

Ichigo dropped his sword. This really was his worst nightmare coming true. The day when instead of the protector, he became the menace. He would rather die than to let that happen.

"Smart boy!"

But as he tried to reach for Ichigo, Byakuya's hand pulled Mayuri back by the shoulder, just in time for them to hear the word "_Hakuren_!" and a flood of ice was shot right in front of the hungry scientist, making a wall separate the captains from Ichigo and the shinigami that was running towards him. Both her and his signs of relief were short lived.

"Rukia! _EBU_!..." her fist in between the eyes made him roll thirteen feet backwards.

"Why didn't you wait for me, Ichigo?! Why did you come out here on your own?"

He was still putting his nose back in place "It's over, Rukia… I'm a werewolf now…"

"You're Kurosaki Ichigo! Don't even think about giving up!" and she knelt down beside him, to look right into his eyes "All this time, Ichigo, all this time, you've always protected us. No matter what we were considered to be, no matter the odds, you've always stood up for us and you never gave up." she placed a hand on his shoulder and soothed her angry scowl "It's our time, now. For once, let us be the ones doing the protecting on you, Ichigo. Because, no matter what you say, neither of us is going to leave your side." and she stood up again "So don't dishonor us by giving up on yourself, Ichigo!"

On that moment, the ice wall was crushed into pieces. An oval shield appeared around Ichigo, healing his wounds, courtesy from a newly arrived Inoue, Ishida had his Quincy bow ready and aimed, and Chad was showing both his armored limbs – the Right Arm of the Giant and the Left Arm of the Devil – thus stood the group surrounding Ichigo on all sides, with Rukia at the head pointing Sode No Shirayuki towards Mayuri.

"You guys…" Ichigo was overwhelmed… "…look weird." … for more reasons than the expected.

Ishida popped out a vein of annoyance, Chat shrugged, but Inoue giggled. They were dressed for Halloween, there was no helping the awkwardness of trying to do battle, while looking like a cosplay gang… "…As if you're one to talk, Kurosaki!"

"And as if brats could stand in my way!" Mayuri started to walk towards Rukia, unsheathing his own zanpakutõ, but a sharp blade underneath his chin made him stop and turn to meet Byakuya's glare "What do you think you're doing?!" His voice was as poisonous as the artificial blood inside his veins.

"That's my sister." Byakuya's tone was calm, paused, but colder than steel.

"Are you out of your mind, Kuchiki?! We have our orders!"

"And _that's_… _my_… _sister_."

Outnumbered and cornered, Mayuri had no choice but to sheathe his sword again.

"Pray you won't regret this, the day _your precious sister_ meets her end at the werewolf's fangs!"

As Mayuri stepped back, Byakuya sheathed Senbonzakura as well. "Rukia. You do understand our orders are for the safety of Karakura Town. I trust you're not simply being lead by emotion."

"I understand the orders, Nii-sama. But I can't let Soul Society treat Ichigo just as a regular werewolf, when his condition is completely different."

"Of course it's different! He's a bankai level shinigami with hollow powers, instead of a normal soul! Do you have any idea of the power he possesses as a werewolf? Can you imagine the life span of experiments that can be undertaken on such a rare specimen, if I just-"

"Either you stop referring to Kurosaki as a lab rat, or, by the Pride of the Quincy, I'll shut you down myself."

"_Oh_?..."

"Get a grip, both of you!" Hitsugaya had his arms crossed over his chest, in irritation. "Kuchiki-san, elaborate on what you mean with different."

Rukia stepped closer to Ichigo "As opposed to all the known specimens present in the archives and Kurotshuchi-taichou's personal research of the werewolf race, Ichigo retains his humanity, even when transformed."

"That's impossible!"

"We'll see about that." Hitsugaya made the mist lift in the sky, the enough for Ichigo to transform into the black hollow and remain motionless. Mayuri was still uttering "_Impossible_…" in denial.

"If he's an instinctive beast, a mindless werewolf craving for souls, why isn't he attacking?... I can even punch his face to no avail!" Ichigo winced before Rukia could demonstrate. "I was just giving an example, Ichigo! Don't be so jumpy!" He grunted in reply. As if any other excuse to punch him had ever been better…

Mayuri was glaring Ichigo the same way he would towards the personification of an insult to science.

"It might have to do with the fact Ichigo already had a hollow under control within him. But regardless of what it might be, what matters is that, with black fur or without it, he's still Ichigo. And we're not letting anyone take him away!"

"You know nothing about it! You have no idea whether his humanity, while under the werewolf form, is just a temporary fluke!"

"He's right, Rukia." Hitsugaya had made the moon be veiled again, making Ichigo return to a shinigami shape. "While I have this thing… there's no telling if I'll ever become a danger to all of you."

"Fool! Don't make me repeat myself! As if I'd ever let you, Ichigo."

Mayuri interrupted their intense stare, Rukia's resolve against Ichigo's fear. "Stop spouting nonsense! You have no idea of how to nullify the werewolf poison!"

"Yes we do!" Everyone turned to see Yoruichi walking towards them.

"Yoruichi-san!"

"Kisuke told me all about it. But I decided to take matters into my own hands because, well, _I move faster_." She dropped an amused glance to Byakuya, who simply narrowed his eyes almost unseeingly. "Truth is, Kurotshuchi, you too know how to nullify the poison, when it comes to the infection of souls instead of bodies, but you've hidden the information."

"Careful where you're stepping, Shihouin…"

She crossed her arms proudly. "I had Soi Fon hack into your data. She wouldn't be the Captain of the Special Operations Corps, if she wouldn't be able to do at least _that_."

"_How dared you_… I'm reporting this out ruling to Yamamoto himself!"

"That along with the fact you deliberately concealed Kurosaki could be saved, instead of captured." Hitsugaya joined.

Mayuri was trapped and furious "_I won't forget this_!..."

"Neither will _we_." The disdain on Byakuya's countenance seemed not to belong to a sole person, but to come from a whole clan. In moments like these, one can tell he's the head of one of the four Soul Society Noble Houses, with just a glimpse.

"But please, tell me, Yoruichi-san! How do I get rid of this?"

"By eating the soul of the one who turned you in the first place. By consuming the infecting soul, the werewolf gains the power to get rid of the disease, if he so wishes it."

A long silence ensued.

"… No, Yoruichi-san. That… can't be right…" Ichigo had his neck craned, his hair hiding his eyes.

"What do you mean, Ichigo?"

"If that would rid me from this… then I would be ridden already. … I already… ate it." the words were coming out with shame in between clenched teeth.

"No, Ichigo." Yoruichi spoke softly "Your inner hollow did." Ichigo raised his head "He's the one with the power of either continuing with this, or end it. Kisuke prepared a gas that will make you delve into your inner world to persuade your hollow self to get rid of the werewolf effect. Are you ready to do it now, Ichigo?"

Rukia approached him as well "Go get him, Ichigo. We're all here waiting for you."

Ichigo faced Yoruichi without a shadow of hesitation within his determined eyes. "I'm ready!"

As Yoruichi's hand waved close to Ichigo's face, his lids closed and thus he delved into his inner universe to meet the battle for the end of his nightmare.


	10. The Moon's Fancy

**HallowIchigo**

**Chapter Nine – The Moon's Fancy**

"BANKAI!"

"What, no foreplay?..." The hollow was forced to also do his bankai, to be able to dodge Ichigo, who was fighting with particularly fierce blows and had gone into final zanpakutõ release as soon as entering the sky scrape world.

He needed to use all of his mastery to actually keep Ichigo at bay, but kept his wicked smile and the mocking tone on his voice.

"Come on, King! Just say 'Take the werewolf poison away, please' and I'll grant your wish!" A black Getsuga Tenshou came as a reply, but the hollow dodged it to reappear right behind him. "Why so serious?" Ichigo missed his neck by inches with the black blade of Zangetsu.

The fight went on and on, Ichigo always on the attack, the hollow always on the defensive. Blow after blow, the shinigami on black robes dashed the black blade craving to cut flesh, while the hollow in white would only raise his Zangetsu to block what couldn't be dodged.

Ichigo stopped, panting, though keeping his battle stance and the intent to kill still reflected on his eyes.

"Why aren't you attacking?"

His hollow self relaxed the stance, keeping a safe distance of a few yards.

"Took you long enough to notice, King. I already told you, you don't have to fight me. Just ask me politely to get the werewolf poison out."

"You think I'm stupid enough to believe that?"

"You were stupid the enough not to take conclusions of the fact I could easily be in control all the time, but aside the eating of the werewolf soul, I left you alone. … Or do you actually think the control you've had from that moment on was _achieved_ instead of _granted_?..." and he chuckled ominously.

"You've always wanted to be in control of my soul, why would now be any different?"

"Now a werewolf stole my glory."

They glared each other in silence for a moment.

"What the hell are you talking about? This was the perfect opportunity for you to try to take over!"

"No, King. This was you getting bitten by a werewolf, it had nothing to do with me." Ichigo narrowed his eyes. "You still don't get it?... Don't think I've grown soft or that I became accommodated to my position. … _I will take your soul_. … I just don't need a werewolf to give me the upper hand." He rested his white Zangetsu over his shoulders, behind his neck. "I have pride too, you know… I don't need a pathetic freak out from the wrong side of a medieval legend to make it a piece of cake for me. And that's why I ate the bastard -" he pointed his sword towards Ichigo "- and you should be thankful, it prevented you from feeling the hunger for souls too strongly, while turned. Not to mention it came out as being the only way out of this thing. Or do you think I prefer living at the moon's fancy?" and he started to leisurely spin the blade around his fingers.

"But if you didn't want to gain control over me this way, why did you keep the werewolf poison all this time?"

"Why, isn't it obvious, King?" his smirk became wider "For you to taste what it's like." and he grabbed his sword firmly again. "Remember it well, my King, _remember it well_… the taste of a soul, the craving for more, the shape of the body, its remarkable power, the keen senses, the lust for blood… _remember it well_… For when the day comes you so much as waver on your throne, I'm going to kick you down from it. With my own two hands, I don't need anyone's help. And then _all that you've tasted today_ will be _all that you'll have left_!"

Ichigo pointed his sword more firmly "_I'll never let you_!"

"Just remember it well." he said, turning his back. "Now go, my King. I've ridden myself from the werewolf poison, you have no further business here." and the hollow walked away, dragging the white Zangetsu beside him.

Ichigo opened his eyes and raised his upper body. "Is it done?" Ishida asked from behind him.

Hitsugaya undid the misty clouds that veiled the moon. All eyes turned to see the shinigami that, for the first time, remained unchanged by the moonlight.

"Thank God!" Inoue let out, relieved.

Rukia was smiling widely and her eyes seemed to have an unusual trembling glow about them. "Welcome back, Ichigo!"

Ichigo smiled back wholeheartedly "Thank you, Rukia. Thank you all!" _And for you all, I'll never let him take over_!


	11. The Birth of HallowIchigo

**HallowIchigo**

**Chapter Ten – The Birth Of HallowIchigo**

They had all returned to the Halloween Ball at the Karakura High School and were standing close to the stage, around the tables of sweets and juice. For some reason, Ichigo even lost his usual scowl, but was still pulling Rukia's hood down her face, at every possible excuse.

"Why do you keep doing that, Ichigo?!"

"It's because you're too small. With a pointy hood hiding your face, instead of a witch, you look like a smurf!"

Rukia punched Ichigo's stomach, making him gasp and bend over his waist, ending up lowering his head exactly to match Rukia's height, who patted him on the shoulder.

"You know… being someone so easy to be lowered to my level, you _really_ shouldn't make fun of my stature…"

They were interrupted by Ochi-sensei's voice on the microphone.

"Alright, little devils! It's time to announce the Grand Winner of our Costume Contest! Let me tell you, let me tell you, you all look great tonight, but, for the first time, all the teachers were unanimous on the choice! Without further ado, tonight's Grand Winner is… Kurosaki Ichigo!" and before anyone had time to digest it, Kagine-sensei had already pulled a very clueless and scowling Ichigo up to the stage, by the back of his sweater. "As the… the… what's your costume called again?..."

"Huh?..."

Ochi-sensei dropped the hand that held the microphone, so she could speak privately. "Don't 'huh' me on public, Kurosaki! What's your costume called?"

"… Undercover… Policeman?..."

"No! That black suit you were wearing when you climbed up the light platforms!"

Ichigo widened his eyes and sweat drops started to come down all over him "…What?... I didn't…"

"Oh, come on, stop pretending! I screamed at first, but then I saw that unmistakable carrot top of yours… Still, it was quite a feat to actually scare people in Halloween, that's why we voted for _you_! … But don't think I've forgotten you broke a window" she was hitting his head with the microphone, at this point "nor that you pulled a nasty prank that almost scared us to death! But the costume was really something! So, what's it called again?"

Ichigo articulated the first thing he could relate it to, after a gulp "… Hollow…"

She didn't look impressed. "Hallow what?"

"… Hollow… were… I mean... I was... nothing."

"That's just… _so lame_." and she spoke back to the microphone, with a tone that made it sound like the most exciting thing in the world "HallowIchigo!" making the audience cheer by mere contagious influence. "… Don't forget you'll have the honor of representing Karakura High, wearing it on Don Kanonji's TV show!"

That's when it hit him… tonight… was _really_ a nightmare!

"I refuse!"

"You _can't_!"

"Of course I can! No one will catch me on that show, unless _dead_!"

"Then you'll attend high school until you _die_, because I'll have you fail all subjects for dishonoring our town!"

"Sensei!" his voice was no more than a loud whimper, that shook not the omen of Karakura's HallowIchigo on national broadcast.

And the sounds of the party, transpiring through the walls of Karakura High School's gym, were heard blending with the noises of that Halloween night, as wolves were howling at the distance, crows were screaming their mockeries closer by, and the occasional bat flight made the full moon flicker, to all those musing themselves with watching it.


End file.
